Fastening sets of artificial teeth



Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699,137

H. ESTELMANN FASTENING SETS OF ARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed 001- 1926 25 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q' /I. F' Q' Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699,137

H. ESTELMANN FASTENING SETS OF ARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed Oct. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'f ,8, D q

Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699,137

H. ESTELMANN FASTENING SETS OF ARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed Oct. 2, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

HEINRICH ESTELMANN, 0F NUREMBERG-EIBACH, GERMANY.

FASTENING SETS OF Application filed October 2, 1926, Serial No.

This invention has reference to fastening means for sets of artificial teeth adapted for securing the same in the upper and lower jaws and for retaining them against displacement, and it is intended to facilitate the manipulation and construction of fastening means of the kind referred to, to im prove the fitting of the constituent parts and to generally improve the manufacture and the adaptation and manipulation of devices of this kind. In its broad features the invention comprises a fastener for the upper and lower jaw and consisting of a rubber plate, carrying the artificial teeth and a rubber suction plate connected therewith and particularly adapted for efliecting an easy and reliable fastening of the rubber suction plate to the tooth plate. This object is accomplished in accordance with this invention by the employment of a frame adapted to be inserted in a surrounding marginal groove of the rubber suction plate and to be connected by means of screws to the tooth plate in which a metallic member provided with internal screw-threads for the insertion of such screws or a plurality of such internally threaded metallic members are secured by vulcanization. This construction in a preferred form of execution may be carried out by embedding in the tooth plate by vulcanization a sheet metal plate corresponding to the shape of the frame and provided at several points along its margin with threaded holes or recesses adapted for the reception of the fastening screws inserted into corresponding holes of the frame and of the suction plate. Instead of a sheet metal plate a plurality of threaded nuts may be embedded at suitable points for the reception of the fastening screws thereby providing forthe metallic members according to this invention. On the other hand, instead of a single large suction plate two or more smaller suction plates may be employed, such as are commonly used for instance in connection with attaching means for artificial teeth to the lower aw, such suction plates being then connected to the tooth plate in accordance with this invention.

By the instrumentalities in accordance with the invention a very satisfactory and reliable union of rubber plate and tooth plate is produced. It iswell known that with the so-called Petry-sucker which by practical experience has been shown to be probably the best fastener for artificial teeth ARTIFICIAL TEETH.

139,196, and in Germany December 1, 1925. i

manufacture and treatment of this rim the utmost care is to be exercised, inasmuch as the reliable retaining of the suction plate in the tooth plate is depending thereon. Now this projetcing rim which is manufactured with great difliculty only is entirely dispensed with in the tooth fastener according to this invention, and in view thereof the manufacture of the tooth fastener is very considerably facilitated. Moreover, the cementing together of the suction plate with the tooth plate required in connection with the Petry-sucker and which, on account of the moisture in the mouth having a dissolv- 111" action upon the cement, does not vouchsafe a permanent fastening of the parts, is dispensed with in accordance with m invention. There is also the advantage that the metal members embedded by vulcanization in the rubber of the tooth plate,particularly in the case of employing a sheet metal plate corresponding to theshape of the rubber suction plate contribute very considerably to the reinforcement of the tooth plate, and there is the further advantage that the danger of breaking or weakening the rubber plate by an excessive moulding and shaping thereof is eliminated. Aside from this and other important advantages itis one of the main objects of my invention that the suction plate when it has become unfit for use may be very easily exchanged, it being only necessary for this purpose toloosen the fastening screws which after the insertion ofa new suction plate aretightened again.

On the accompanying drawing 1 have shown somewhat diagrammatically one of the preferred forms of construction of an embodiment of my invention in Figures 1-7 by way of exemplification, and in Figures 8-12 I have shown a modified form of construction and in Figures 13-19 another modification of the tooth fastner according to this invention is shown by way of example.

The frames of these forms of execution are shown in plan view and in transverse section in the Figures 1, 2 and 8, 9 and 13, 14 re spectively, whilst the corresponding tooth plates are illustrated in plan view and in sectional view in the Figures3, 4 and 10,

11 and 15, 16 respectively. Figure is a front view and Figure 6 a sectional view of the suction plate appertaining to the tooth plate shown in Figures 3 and 41:, whilst Fig ures 17 and 18 are corresponding views of the suction plate used for the toothplate shown in Figures 15 and 16. Figures 7, 12 and 19 represent on a larger scale sections through the complete artificial tooth fastners according to the first, second and third embodiment of the invention respectively.

In the form of construction according to Figures 1-7 a fastener for a set of teeth for the upper jaw is illustrated. The frame D, preferably of sheet metal and shown respectively in plan view and in transverse section in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing serves for the fastening of the rubber suction plate C shown respectively in front view and in sec tional view in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing to the rubber tooth plate A represented re spectively in plan view and in sectional view in Figs. 3 and l. A sheet metal plate B is embedded by vulcanization in the tooth plate A. The assembling of all these parts is clearly shown in Fig. 7 in transverse section. The frame D is inserted in a marginal groove of the rubber suction plate C, and screws E are passed through the registering holes of the frame D and of the rubber suction plate C and are threadedly secured in corresponding threaded bores of the sheet metal plate B embedded in the tooth plate A. The shape of the frame D and the sis of the recess provided in the tooth plate A above the sheet metal plate B are adapted to correspond to the shape of the rubber suction plate C. The lower rim of the rubber suction plate C in which for the purpose of increasing the durability thereof wire tissue may be embedded in the well known manner is forced by the frame D and the screws E into tight engagement with the sheet metal plate B, so as to result in a reliable union of the rubber suction plate with the tooth plate.

The form of construction of the invention according to Figures 8 to 12 is distinguished from the tooth holder shown in Figures 1 to 7 by the fact that instead of the sheet metal plate B several, for instance three threaded nuts B are embedded by vulcanization in the tooth plate A, so as to constitute the metal member for the insertion of the fastening screws Fi. The metal frame D which is shown in, Figs. 8 and 9 in plan view and respectively in sectional view is introduced, as appears from the transverse section of Figure 12, in a marginal groove of the rubber suction. plate and is connected by the screws E to the tooth plate shown in Figures 10 and 11 in plan view and respectively in sectional. view, the said screws being passed into corresponding holes of the frame B and of the rubber suction plate C and being threadcdly secured in the threaded nuts B provided in the tooth plate B. This modification of the invention is particularly well adapted in the case of irregularly vaulted or otherwise abnormally shaped gums. In such cases it is sometimes difficult to produce the necessary exact vaulting of the sheet metal plate embedded by vulcanization in the tooth plate according to the arrangement shown in l to 7.

Figs. 13 to 19 illustrate the utilization of the invention in connection with a tooth fastener intended for use with the lower aw. The tooth plate A consisting of rubber and which is shown in Figs. 15 and 1G in transverse section and respectively in plan view is frame shaped in this modification and it is provided at 2 oppositely disposed recesses with a small rubber suction place C in each recess and shown particularly in Figs. 17 and 18 in plan view and respectively in sectional view. The fastening of the suction plates C to the tooth plate A is effected by means of the frames D shown in Figs. 13 and i l in plan view and respectively in sectional view and to be inserted in the manner shown in Figure 15 into the marginal grooves of the suction plates C, in which position the frames D are connected to the threaded nuts B by a plurality, for instance four screws E, so that the frames are adapted to securely force the suction plates C onto the tooth plate A. Instead of two suction plates C, I may employ, if desired, three or more of the same.

The invention is, of course, susceptible of modifications and changes and it may be materialized and may find expression in a great variety of other exemplificaticns. Thus the metal frame serving for connecting the tooth plate to the suction. plate instead of consisting of a single piece, may also comprise a plurality of separate parts. These and other modifications may be introduced without thereby deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Artificial tooth fasteners for upper and lower jaw comprising the combination with a tooth plate of a marginally grooved rub ber suction plate corresponding to the shape of the tooth plate and engageable therewith, a metallic interiorly screw-threaded strengthening member embedded in the tooth plate, a frame-shaped member inserted in the grooved portion of the suction plate intermediate the same and the tooth plate and fastening screws inserted in the frame and in the strengthening member.

2. Artificial tooth fastener comprising the combination with a tooth plate of a resilient suction plate engageable therewith, a metallic strengthening member corresponding to the shape of the suction plate and embedded gageable with said tooth plate, at least one metallic interiorly screw-threaded reinforced 10 member embedded in said tooth plate, at least one frame-shaped member inserted in the grooved portion of said suction plate intermediate the same and said tooth plate and fastening screws inserted in said frame 15 and said strengthening member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HEINRICH ESTELMANN. 

